Blumenthal: Congress will subpoena DOJ for Mueller report

Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Thursday that he thinks Congress will subpoena special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in U.S. elections if lawmakers don’t receive a comprehensive summary of the document from the Justice Department.

According to several media reports based on unidentified sources, Mueller is close to wrapping up his two-year probe and issuing a final report to the Justice Department. Blumenthal told CNN Thursday “there will be subpoenas from Congress, including, I hope, from the Senate Judiciary Committee,” if that information isn’t released to Congress and the public.

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“But there will also be a public perception of cover-up,” Blumenthal said. “Because if (Attorney General William Barr) believes––I think he does––that a sitting president can’t be indicted… and he brings no charges that Mueller says can be brought, and also if there are no public disclosures, the public will rightly feel that there is a cover up.”

“There will be subpoenas…I hope from the Senate Judiciary Committee where I sit,” Blumenthal said.

The committee is chaired by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who would be authorized to seek any subpoena.

Graham has sponsored legislation aimed at protecting Mueller and the Russian investigation. But he’s been less aggressive about doing so since taking over as chairman of the Judiciary Committee earlier this year.

Unlike the Senate, which is in GOP hands, the House is controlled by Democrats after their win in November’s election. The House Judiciary Committee, or some other oversight panel in that chamber, could also presumably issue a subpoena for Mueller’s report.